Black heart with a touch of Gold
by AlexBlack1912
Summary: Hermione is all but dead inside, her only mission in life is to protect her friends that have become her brothers, she is not searching for love but when it finds her, will she accept the form in which her new love presents itself. Because to love a Black is surely a price none of the Golden trio are willing to pay. Hermione/Bellatrix
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**** So this is the revised version of chapter one, which has been edited amazingly I might add, since allegedly I neglect my full stops and rarely make sense my grammar Nazi editor cleaned it up a bit. Hopefully it reads better this time around.**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters used in this fiction (and what a pitty that is) the only thing that belongs to me is the spelling and grammatical errors.  
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**Chapter 1**

Dark rings circled dull eyes that matched her once auburn hair; sleep seemed to be the least of her worries as Hermione and her friends made their way to Hogwarts. She was in her 6th year and had been chosen to be a prefect no less. This should have been a cause for great excitement for the young witch, yet, as the journey stretched on, it felt more like a well-practiced routine.

She, Hermione Jean Granger, the girl who was born to stand out, wanted nothing more than to hide, as she buried her face deeper into her dress robes trying to block out the argument that was surely about to unfold in front of her. It was as it had always been: every year the three friends could be found in the same place, flanked by the new additions to their group, which included the youngest of the Weasley clan, Ginny, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom. Their conversation was tired by now and their fighting was relentless, as they fought the same arguments, pointing out the same flaws, seeming no closer to finding a solution.

As Hermione gazed out the window into the country side, she felt a wave of peacefulness wash over her. If only she could escape the nightmare that lay in front of her, if only she could trade her life for one that offered freedom she might have been able to find that peace her mind so desperately sought. Her thoughts were so exhilarating that she almost got lost in them all together, inviting in the darkness and with it the peace, if not for the hand on her shoulder drawing her back to the conversation, maybe she would have given in.

The brunette looked up into the eyes she knew so well, and her heart broke when she saw the now familiar torment behind those once warm green eyes. His voice did little to hide the torment and turmoil he was feeling, as he seemed to tremble as his words rolled passed his lips, "Mione, what do you think all of this, what should we do?"

"_What should we do?"_ It was an honest question, but how should she know? As the brains of the infamous Golden Trio, so much was expected from her, even more than she had ever expected from herself. How could she look into those eyes and tell him that everything would be alright when she didn't even know if she could keep herself together anymore?

So she told him part of the truth instead, "I don't know Harry, after the ministry, after..." Her voice shook from the emotion that she had been trying to hold back; she couldn't bring herself to actually say his name, not yet. So instead the young witch took a jagged breath and continued, "…after everything that's happened, Harry, there's a war coming that none of us are prepared for."

"We're going to be there right with you though mate." Up until now, Ron hadn't really spoken, only throwing in a passionate comment here and there whilst he spent his time examining the floor, his hands or even the empty seat next to him. He was never good at dealing with his feelings so instead he kept to himself.

"It's just well, the papers have been at it all summer and I'm not sure we can do what all these people expect us to do you know?"

"They don't expect you to do anything Ron!" The red head shuddered under the cold tone his friends voice had suddenly taken. Even though they had gotten used to Harry's temper over the years, it still hurt, because, they knew that when he went off at them he was really tearing himself up inside. His breathing became erratic as he breathed his words out.

"They expect me to save them all Ron. Not you, not even Hermione. They expect me to do this. The chosen one, "The Boy Who Lived"! Even Dumbledore expects me to be this big hero but I'm not. I couldn't even save Sirius..."

The last words hadn't even left his lips before Hermione had pulled him into her arms, his head burying beneath her dark curls. This little action had become a routine over the holidays, as she had held him this way all summer as he mourned. Between Ginny and herself, they had made sure Harry was never left alone, because if he had been his nightmares would surely come back.

"Harry," her voice shook as she whispered. "It's not your fault. None of us could have saved him, but don't let his death be for nothing! We will stop Voldemort." The involuntary shudder that passed over both boys as she spoke His name just further fuelled her determination to protect them. They were all they had.

The red head had moved to sit next to them, his arms awkwardly joining Hermione's around Harry. "Don't worry mate, things will get better." As he spoke he looked up sheepishly at the other trio of friends that sat opposite them. They were truly all they had. They were the last of Dumbledore's Army, the future of the Order of the Phoenix and quite possibly the wizarding worlds only hope.

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The Malfoy manor was all but empty, as the raids continued. The Dark Lord had claimed it as a safe house of sorts and as such, Death Eaters appeared in great numbers everyday seeking the shelter and food that was offered behind the cold walls of the manor. Much to Narcissa's dismay, being the lady of the manor it was of course her honour to provide the Death Eaters with all that they required - or so her husband had insisted, as he beat it into her upon her protests of the arrangement. She was a far cry from a "damsel in distress". Narcissa Malfoy was an accomplished witch and potions master, easily capable of out duelling the inner circle of the Dark Lords ranks. However, she had refused to take up the dark mark, as she was not loyal to any cause or anyone, with the exception of her sister and son. She had married into the Malfoy family and became subservient to her spineless husband as a ploy to stay close to and protect her beloved sister, Bellatrix.

These thoughts often entered her mind as she aimlessly wondered the hallways of her manor; she had taken to forcing herself to walk at least once a day in order to stretch her aching legs. She had been seated beside her frail sisters' body all through the summer, as Bellatrix's demons tormented her once more. After facing the Cruciatus curse at the hands of the filthy half blood and then again by the Dark Lord, for her failure to retrieve the prophecy during the battle at the ministry, Bellatrix had become prone to her madness once more.

Her sister hadn't always been crazy - not until Azkaban at least. She suffered unimaginable pain, with no good memories from her childhood to protect her; she had also suffered a great loss at the hands of the Order. As all those inner demons came rushing back, her Bella had snapped. Narcissa had to administer potions every half hour for the pain and cast silencing spells to drown out her screams. She had reached the end of her rope and was about to consider Obliviating her sister, just to save what was left of her sanity. However, as the spell was about to slip from her lips, Bellatrix had snapped back into reality as if nothing had occurred at all.

As Narcissa rounded the corner, making her way past the library towards the older witch's room, she recognised the fierce green glow of the fire place and she cursing under her breath, she took off in the direction of her sister's room once more. It could mean only one thing.

"Bella, get up!" Narcissa's shrill breathless voice could be heard from the passage way leading to the hidden entrance of her room, minutes before the door burst open.

"Cissy leave me be, I wish to sleep." Bellatrix's words were barely out before her blanket was forcefully removed with one sharp movement, that complemented the cold air that harshly met her exposed skin.

Bellatrix's wand was in hand and at the throat of the younger witch before she could even think to draw her own. She cursed once more under her breath as she stared defiantly into the older witch's piercing black eyes.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hex you right this instance Cissy?"

Narcissa didn't even falter, as she composed herself to mimic an ice queen persona of upper class and proprietary. The only emotion she showed was through her glare that was securely fixed on her older sister.

Narcissa whispered in a harsh tone, "He is here."

And with that she spun on her heel and left the older witch in a state of frenzy.

The library was the heart of the manor, as it surely was the only heart to be found within such a place despite the many people who resided within it. The walls were stacked from the floor to the ceilings with mountains of books - surely more books than one person could ever read in a hundred life times. The fire place stood in its monstrous glory in the corner of the room, providing the only heat the manor would ever emit and in front of the fire stood well used, yet expensive looking couches. The library was in fact the only room that showed signs of being lived in, as it was where the two sisters often spent their days.

Standing by the fire, looking as formidable as ever, stood the Dark Lord himself. As Bellatrix entered the room, she immediately felt the burn of her mark, reminding her to whom she belonged.

"Ahh Bella, please have a seat there is much to discuss." As he spoke, he gestured to the couches in front of where he stood; he had never come across as anything less than a gentleman with a severely sadistic streak. "Your sister has informed me that you have made a full recovery."

"Yes my Lord."

Bellatrix was one of the few who were ever able to meet her Lords eyes as she spoke. "I look forward to re-joining your ranks." The implications of her words were undeniable as was the manic grin that spread across her features as she spoke. Bellatrix Black was out for blood after being kept away from the action for so long and her Lord would satisfy her needs, as it was what fuelled her loyalty towards him.

The Dark Lord rested his eyes steadily on his most loyal servant as he spoke to her in a tone befitting a father, "Your skills have always been of high value to me Bellatrix, but I must ask for your patience, as I require your skills once more for a mission only you are able to achieve."

"I'm at your full disposal my Lord."


	2. Chapter 2

***Revised***

**Chapter 2**

Hogwarts was preserved in years of history. From the paintings that cluttered the walls, to the ghosts of past students still holding onto the lives they had lost, Hogwarts was home to so many people and had always been a sanctuary to everyone who had stepped inside the welcoming walls. The great hall had never changed; hundreds of years and thousands of students passed through this hall, all gazing in wonder at the ever changing sky that seemed to have swallowed up the celling, cast into light by brilliantly lit candles. For any new student entering the school it would all seem very daunting, as everyone's focus would be on them, waiting for their fate to be determined by nothing more than a hat.

Hermione sat observing the new students, waiting anxiously to be sorted. She remembered being called up in front of everyone, having to tell herself to stay calm and just breathe as she took her seat and the old hat was placed on her head. Listening to it ramble on only increasing her anxiety as she waited to be judged and then labelled based on her character in front of everyone. The hat had seemed to be rather baffled by her because although she had the brains of a true Ravenclaw she had the heart of a Gryffindor. This, however, was not the case as the hat seemed to know exactly where to place the swarm of first years, screaming out the ancient houses names after drawing out suspense and then enjoying the eruption of applause that followed from the respective houses.

Ron had taken to nudging Harry every time he noticed an attractive girl being called up; he still had no emotional depth or taste for that matter when it came to girls. Therefore, the brunette tried to pay him as little attention as possible and instead did what she did best lately and phase out of reality and wander in the recesses of her own quiet mind.

"Woah Harry, look at her!" the red head had all but shouted turning a few heads in the trio's direction, snapping the young witch out of her trance.

"Ron, cut it out," Harry said while glaring at his best friend along with half the students at the table. It wasn't until the old hat cried "Gryffindor" that all heads snapped back towards the front of the hall joining in on the cheering for their newest member. The three friends' eye contact, however, didn't break as they exchanged various looks having a silent conversation: Harry and Hermione reprimanding Ron, as he gave them both a sheepish smile. Their plan for the year was to lay low and not draw attention to themselves. Ron's little outburst had already gathered the disapproval of numerous professors and the 2/3 of the Golden trio were unhappy.

Meanwhile, the girl in question was making her way towards the Gryffindor table. She was sporting a smirk that told everyone who bothered to look that she knew exactly what had transpired at the furthest end of the table. The newest Gryffindor angled her way past students and headed straight towards the brunette herself. It wasn't until a soft, almost sultry voice interrupted the trio's private conversation that Hermione even realized that there was someone standing next to her.

"Sorry is this seat taken? All the ones up front seem to be."

The brunette looked up to find curious, all but black eyes looking back at her. Hermione had to hand it to Ron - this girl was attractive. Her messy black hair may have been a common trait and yet on her it seemed to stand out and make a statement.

"Oh, um…er…yes. No, wait what?"

"May I sit?" the girl asked again, still smirking

"Oh yes, sorry, please have a seat." The brunette said nervously, as she fidgeted with her hands avoiding eye contact. Why was she so nervous around this girl?

_Ok Hermione, pull yourself together. You don't want to frighten off the new girl with your awkward staring, even if she is gorgeous. _

The brunette had to mentally shake herself before she could look back at the raven haired beauty that was seated in front of her. The girl seemed far too confident to be a first year, even though she was rather short, she seemed almost the same age as the brunette - at the very least she would be the same age as Ginny. Snapping back to reality, Hermione plastered the friendliest smile she could muster on her face before tapping the girl lightly on her shoulder to get her attention once more.

"Hi, I'm Hermione. Hermione Granger and you are?" The brunette mentally prepared herself for the inventible gushing that she had come accustomed to after the battle at the ministry and the Daily Profit running rampant with stories of their bravery (only after spending the previous years blatantly slandering them) but to her surprise the girl didn't falter or hesitate in the slightest as she reached out to shake the brunettes hand.

"My name's Alex, just Alex." As the girl spoke Hermione's eyes drifted down towards the girls' lips, before realising that the girl was now watching her as intently, as her soon to be customary, smirk played across her lips once more.

"It's nice to meet you Hermione. I hear you are in your sixth year? So am I - I'm a transfer from The American Academy for Witch Craft. It's a lot smaller than Hogwarts though, all I've seen is the entrance Hallway and the main hall and I'm already scared I'm going to get lost."

Hermione nodded her head in excitement as she listened to all the girl had to say. "Well just Alex, I would love to show you around if you're interested?" She didn't know what it was about this girl that got her so interested in making new friends, but for the rest of the evening all she could do was smile, as she happily exchanged stories with her new companion and for just a moment she was able to forget about the chaos in her life.

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The black lake was one of Hermione's favourite places to go, she often sat by the water's edge hidden under a mass of trees. It was a sanctuary of sorts, a place where no one disturbed her, not even Harry and Ron knew about it and it was that very place that Hermione found herself venturing with Alex, after showing the American the dormitory's, the common room and where most of her classes would be. To the delight of both girls, it seemed that they would share many of their classes.

"It's so beautiful here, I feel like I could hide out here forever without a care in the world." The dark haired girl had shocked the silence with her voice and yet all it did was calm Hermione even more.

The brunette had never thought she would ever find someone quite like herself. Alex was the top of her year (every year) she spent as much time as, if not more than, Hermione in the library and although she seemed more opinionated and confident than Hermione, she seemed like a perfect fit in the young witch's complicated life.

As these thoughts travelled and unravelled through Hermione's tired mind her body absentmindedly sort out the comforts of Alex's hand, skilfully intertwining their fingers.

It wasn't until the girl sat upright and stared into the brunettes eyes with her eyebrow raised in a challenging look, that she realized what she had done.

_How could you be so stupid? _The smartest witch of her age mentally kicked herself for not being able to control her reactions towards the raven haired girl, whose body seemed awfully close to her own at that point in time.

Hermione started fumbling over her words, saying that she was tired and wanted to head back to the dormitory, as she tried to get up as elegantly as she could with her shaky knees doing little to support her.

They walked back in silence. Hermione was happy that Alex was walking two steps behind her so that she wouldn't have to meet her eye; the brunette was not ready to face her friend just yet as she was scared of the rejection that would surely come.

As they rounded the corner and made their way through the painting of a rather grumpy fat lady, who was none too pleased with the pair staying up past curfew, as they had woken her from her MUCH needed beauty sleep.

Alex had spun around swiftly on her heels as Hermione opened her mouth to mumble out her excuse for her rash decision to return to the tower.

"I'm sorry if I seemed abrupt earlier, it's just been a long day." As she spoke the brunettes eyes drifted down towards the floor. She heard the raven haired girl move. _Here comes the rejection_ she thought but instead the girl had reached down searching for the brunettes shaking hands, grasping them firmly in her own.

"Don't worry I'm also exhausted. I'll see you at breakfast ok? Night Mione." And just like that the brunette was left standing alone in the door way. _Maybe all hope wasn't lost,_ she thought as a smile spread across her face.

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~Page Break~

Narcissa continued to pace up and down the library, her patience wearing thin as she muttered to herself. She wasn't one to be kept waiting, especially when it came to situations like these.

"Where are you Bella, why must you always be late?" The worry was evident in her voice as she mumbled to herself over and over again. Ever since Bella's return all she could do was worry. Her sister's mind was fragile and on the brink of snapping any day now after all she'd been through. She still cursed the Order for what they had done to her Bella, as much as she cursed herself for not being there.

"Aww that's sweet Cissy, you missed me." A disembodied voice came from the shadows, followed by an excited cackle as the older witch wrapped her arms around her sister, surprising her.

"Bella, where have you been, you're late." There was no emotion left in the blonde's voice, although she pulled Bella closer to her leaning her head against her sisters' shoulder. She had no idea how she had put up with her demented sister for all these years but Narcissa had always found something about Bella to love.

Narcissa could feel her sisters breath on her neck as she leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry my love, escaping undetected was problematic." Bellatrix's mission had started out the same as all the others; it was to be an infiltration and destruction mission. However, there was something exceptionally unique about this mission which made the dark witch wonder if she could even complete it.

"Cut it out Bella, I'm not in the mood for your affections." _Liar, _the blonde thought to herself and she knew Bella knew it to. However, she was still furious with her sister for accepting such a mission regardless of the fact that she had no other choice than to do as her Lord commanded. They were all each other had and the blonde witch would be dammed if she didn't do all that was in her power to help her Bella stay alive.

"So, would you like to see if all your hard work has paid off Cissy?" the dark witch purred into her sisters ear before spinning her around to see the dark witch's appearance in all its glory.

"Oh my God... Bella?" The blonde's voice betrayed her, as the shock was prominent as she turned to take in her sister's appearance. She knew Bellatrix had had to change for the mission; she herself had a hand in the outcome, but she never thought that it would turn out like this. "I've forgotten how beautiful you used to be. So is this it then, your plan to infiltrate Hogwarts has been put in motion?"

Bellatrix laugh was often thought to be crazed, however, she was most certainly not. The blonde always admired her sisters bravery, loyalty and above all, her intelligence.

As the raven haired Death Eater's laugh died out her, voice took on a patronising tone.

"Yes my dear sister, it has begun," she said, as she gestured down the length of her body.


	3. Chapter 3

***Revised***

**Chapter 3**

"Hermione! Are you even listening to me?" The red head had been whining all morning and Hermione had done her best to block him out. She didn't want to hear all about Lavender and how she was mercilessly chasing after him, especially since she knew for a fact that Ron adored the attention.

Instead of replying the golden girl turned her back on the red head, "You haven't seen Alex around this morning have you, Ginny?"

"Um, no I don't believe I have Mione. She's not sharing a dorm with anyone as far as I've heard, so maybe she just over slept?"

If Harry hadn't been so focused on Ginny, he may have noticed the level of concern that his friend wasn't even bothering to try to hide over the new girl. The younger girl at his side did of course, and wondered what an outsider had done to make the brunette care for her so much and so quickly. She filed away all her questions for later when she and the older girl were alone.

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"Fuck! Cissy why didn't you wake me!" the raven haired death eater screeched, as she stumbled out of bed trying to locate her pants. She was very late and it could jeopardise her entire mission.

She flicked her hand, summoning her clothes to her without even bothering to pick up her wand. Magic had always came easily to the witch, so it was no wonder that wandless magic had been a breeze for her to master - regardless of what everyone thought about her not being focused enough to channel her magic without the guidance of her wand. they had been wrong. She was in fact very focused, when busy ripping someone's throat out, even more so when she was torturing members of the Order (like those filthy Longbottoms) blood traitors the whole lot of them. She would never forget there screams as she tortured them. The revenge could never fill the emptiness they had caused in her life; their actions had brought about the inevitable.

Once upon a time, the order had thought that they had broken Bellatrix. but they had forgotten one important thing: she was not a worm, like the Lestrange brothers. She was a Black of the most Noble and Ancient house, and she would never be broken, regardless of the torture she had suffered. They would live to regret their actions and she intended to live long enough to witness it.

As Bellatrix exited the manor, she spun around and with a faint pop she apparated, hoping her plan still worked in the light of day.

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~Page break~

The studious know-it-all had, for the first time in her life, wanted to skip all her lessons. She had very little will to learn when her mind was running through a hundred different scenario's the raven haired Gryffindor could be in that very minute. Spending so much time looking after Harry and Ron had made worrying a well-worn past time for the young witch. All the brunette could think about was leaving to go find and Alex. She feared above all that the girl was in fact avoiding her, as they shared most classes. The brunette had looked forward to seeing a friendly face as she walked into her morning classes, but as morning rolled into afternoon the young witch had just about given up as she started to scribble down notes half-heartedly.

Professor Slughorn was by no means a boring man: he was knowledgeable on a variety of subjects and thrived off the intelligence of his students which met Hermione's liking to a tee and although she appreciated the lesson she couldn't fully concentrate. In fact, she was almost lost completely to the darkest scenarios her mind could muster, until the potion rooms door burst open and an out of breath girl stood framed by the door way.

"I'm so sorry, I'm late Professor. I lost my way" Alex voice was a welcomed alternative to the professors. Considering nearly an entire lesson had gone by, Hermione was confused as to how Alex had gotten that lost, since she had shown her the way to all her classes the previous evening before their awkward encounter at the lake.

"Ahh yes they informed me that you'd be in my class, it's an honour to meet you Ms…"

"Just call me Alex," the new girl snapped interrupting the professor.

"Very well, Alexandra please have a seat. I believe Ms Granger is in need of a partner."

The minute the raven haired girl took her seat Hermione had passed her a note, written in beautiful elegant writing.

'_Where have you been all morning? I was worried about you..._'

'_Sorry Mione I over slept'_

'_Oh I heard you didn't have anyone rooming with you. We shall have to set you an alarm, so I don't have to miss you at every breakfast'_

Their conversation continued like this for the rest of the lesson, with little flirts here and there, the only thing that ruined the moment was Professor Slughorn.

"Ms Granger could you and Ms Black kindly pay attention."

"Sorry professor it won't happen again," the brunette had chimed out her perfectly acceptable response before she realised the abrupt whispers that started to circulate the classroom. Had she said something wrong? No she couldn't have, she then recalled the words the professor had just spoken:

_Ms Granger could you and Ms Black_…

wait what? Ms Black? As in related to Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda Black? All Hermione could do was stare at the girl sitting next to her with confusion clouding her honey brown eyes.

_How could she be related to such monsters? Okay, Andy wasn't as bad as the others, but still! _She knew for a fact Andromeda only had one daughter which meant

_Oh God she's Bellatrix Lestrange's daughter. _

As the class began to settle, Hermione couldn't help but stare at Alex. The girl seemed almost ashamed, but that look changed immediately into a hard glare that was fired off at anyone who sought it fit to stare. She had the confidence of a Slytherin, the confidence of a pureblood, the confidence of a Black. Hermione felt her stomach flip at the thought of holding this girls hand. How could she have been attracted to someone so inherently evil? The brunette's thoughts were interrupted by the pleading eyes that turned to face her and the note the lay between them with a freshly written note.

_I am sorry Mione._

Those four words were all it took to break down the Golden girls walls; she reached under the table for Alex's hand, intertwining their fingers once more. How could she judge this girl? She had no control into which family she had been born - and what a horrid fate at that! The torture she must have endured before being sent away to America... Hermione couldn't stomach the idea of the raven haired beauty being broken and beaten. She had seen the bruises on Draco's face enough times to understand that being a pure blood meant pain. She would save this girl if it was the last thing she ever did.

The rest of the day hadn't gone much better. Even for such a big school, news spread like Fiendfyre -there was no controlling it. Students were whispering behind Alex's back no matter where she went, but soon enough the Black in her demanded respect; her glare froze people right down into their souls if they dared to look at her. Most people realised very quickly that they were to keep their mouths shut and themselves at a respectable distance from the witch. All except Hermione who had followed the pure blood around all day. She out right refused to let Alex go anywhere alone and the dark haired witch had indulged her, because, despite her hard exterior, it was comforting to know that someone had her back.

During dinner, it seemed that the gossip had died down a bit. The group of friends sat awkwardly at first during the meal, as they all had questions they desperately wanted to ask the new girl. However, Hermione had silenced them with a knowing look, stating that they would discuss it later and with that the group acted as if nothing had happened and spoke about their days allowing Alex to disappear into the single bit of normalcy she had had all day.

However, the peacefulness could never last as a commotion came from the Slytherin table, as a few cocky boys made snide comments about Alex being a blood traitor for being placed in Gryffindor and for associating with people below her. It had taken all of Hermione's strength to hold the raven haired witch back from attacking the boys, as she wrestled with the enraged witch until she was able to drag her out from the hall and into the corridor. Hermione pulled her into a swift hug as Alex shook with intense anger. She thought she had finally calmed the witch down as she released her from her vice grip, only to notice that a handful of the boys had followed them out.

"Awww look at that boys, the itty bitty baby Black is a Mudblood lover! You filthy blood traitor!" A dirty blond hair body sneered before turning to laugh with his friends. The Slytherin had realized the danger far too late, as he turned around to taunt the girl a little more, only to notice that Alex had drawn her wand and in a fury like no other, the pureblood started firing off hexes at everyone within range. She sent them in such a rapid succession, that the brunette would have sworn that the young witch had been casting three spells simultaneously and repeatedly interchanging the spells as she went along, most of the spells Hermione had never heard of.

As impressive as Alex's skills were Hermione noticed that the girl was being encircled by at least twenty Slytherins, so without a second thought, the brunette stepped into the circle throwing up a powerful shield ready to protect the girl at whatever cost. Fortunately it didn't come to that, as Harry and Ron soon flanked Hermione, followed by the rest of what had once been Dumbledore's Army. The Slytherin's knew they had no chance in a fair fight and quickly retreated away down the corridor towards their own common room.

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Despite all efforts to contain her anger to avoid this very situation, Alex found herself in McGonagall's office with a stern professor staring down at her through unimpressed eyes.

"Good evening Ms Black, I can assume you know why you are here?" her Scottish accent slipped through as she spoke to the younger witch.

"Yes professor"

"Good then I do not need to tell you that what you did goes against school rules and as such I will be taking 50 points from Gryffindor as punishment. I will leave you with a warning for now. We here at Hogwarts do not accept bullying and although you are a victim in this, you also severely injured six students and as such I am unable to take matters further with regards to the Syltherin's involved. In future Ms Black, if you have any issues I hope you will come seek my assistance first."

"Yes professor."

"Very well Ms Black, I see no further reason to keep you from your friends. I'm sure Ms Granger is in a frantic state as we speak and I assume the others will have many questions for you as well." The Professor studied the younger witch to watch her response as she spoke; it seemed that the young Gryffindor lit up when she spoke of Hermione. That was a good sign at least the professor thought.

"Good evening Ms Black and please send my regards to your mother. I was always rather fond of her."

The young witch regarded the old woman before nodding her head in acknowledgment.

"Good evening Professor"

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~Page break~

The raven haired witch took her time walking up towards the common room, trying to delay the inventible onslaught of questions that was bound to come her way. Once inside, she made her way to the fire place and flopped down on the couch next to a frantic Hermione. The witch smiled to herself as she acknowledged that McGonagall had been right, the brunette had been completely stressing since she had been whisked away to McGonagall's office. Absentmindedly, Alex reached out for Hermione's hand to comfort the girl as much as to comfort herself. This gesture was missed by the entire group, except for the youngest Weasley, as she once again regarded the familiarity of the pair.

The silence that filled the room was deafening as everyone stared awkwardly at each other waiting for someone to start. So with a final deep breath Alex's voice broke the silence.

"My name is Alexandra Black. I am a descendant of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black. My mother is Bellatrix Lestrange now known as Bellatrix Black, since the death of my father. My mother is a world renowned Death Eater and the most loyal follower of the Dark Lord. She is responsible for countless accounts of torture and murder and as much as I wish I hadn't been born into this tormented, twisted family - I was. My cousin is Draco Malfoy and I should rightfully be in Syltherin but I am not. I haven't seen my parents since I was sent away after the first war when my mother was imprisoned. I had to leave my last school because the bullying got so bad once they realised who my family was. I came here because I heard that it was different. After today I'm not so sure anymore."

After she had uttered the last words the room erupted into chaos that only Hermione's voice had been able to silence.

"Shut up all of you! She can't help who her parents are, she can only help who she is and shame on you for judging her before you even know her! She has been through enough suffering without us adding to it."

"But Mione," the red head voice came out exasperated, "she's a Black, she can't be trusted."

"She's also a Gryffindor Ron." Harry reminded the red head. He had always taken Hermione's side because he knew where her loyalties lay and he also wasn't ashamed to admit that the golden girl was far more intelligent than he would ever be. He trusted her judgement.

Silence took hold of the room once more, as they all contemplated what Harry had just said; she was a Gryffindor which meant that she was inherently good despite being born to evil. If she was evil she would be in Slytherin, wouldn't she?

"Look guys I know you don't know me well enough yet to judge my character, but I read in 'Hogwarts, A history' that the sorting hat does not lie and will choose based on your character. I was placed into Gryffindor because I am good, you have to believe that I am on your side. " The pleading look that formed behind those beautiful brown eyes was enough to break Hermione's heart; she would protect this young witch no matter what.

The brunettes encouraging smile and firm grasp on the raven haired girls hand was enough for Alex to know that the brunette had believed every word that she had said.

"Ok guys, look it's getting late why don't we head to bed - Alex you look exhausted." The brunette recognised the look on the boys faces and saved the new girl from being pummelled with more questions that neither of them had the energy for at that point in time. Hermione's words seemed to leave little room for question as they all dispersed in opposite directions towards their sleeping quarters.

"Good night Mione." Alex's voice seemed to betray her exhaustion as she whispered, "and thank you for saving me back there, I owe you a lot."

And with that the young witch leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on the girls cheek before leaving towards her own room.

The Malfoy manor was almost deserted as Bellatrix made her way to the study; she had apparated outside the gates in order to give her enough time to compose herself before facing her sister. She knew Narcissa would once again be upset with her for running late.

"Evening Cissy." The older witch had found her sister sitting on a couch near the fire, reading as she normally did. Their routine was flawless, as Bellatrix made her way over to her sister placing a glass of elf wine in her hand and a sly kiss on her lips, before sprawling out next to the younger which with her own glass of fire whiskey.

"How is the mission going?" the blonde asked without looking up from her book. Her voice seemed disinterested but Bellatrix knew her sister well enough to know that there was definite worry that they would be found out.

"It's going well, they haven't suspected anything yet. Your potion skills are flawless my sister." Bella's high praise was enough to make Narcissa relax into her sisters' arms while exhaling deeply letting go of her fears.

When the Dark Lord had told Bellatrix of her mission, she knew it was suicide. To infiltrate Hogwarts disguised as another student by means of Polyjuice potion, she would surely be found out, as she couldn't drink the potion continuously without being inconspicuous and it was near to impossible to lengthen the effect of Polyjuice. No, Bellatrix would surely be found out and sent back to Azkaban.

Narcissa, however, could not allow that. Although had never been one to speak up towards the Dark Lord as she wasn't one of his followers, she didn't take the mark and didn't care of any plans unless they involved Bella. The blonde refused to let her sister be sacrificed, so she came up with another plan. No one had thought it was possible and even the Dark Lord was sceptical, but had allowed Narcissa one day to make a potion to reverse age whilst still keeping ones memories. The younger witch had spent her free time often researching and creating various potions during the long days when Bellatrix was in Azkaban, trying to find a cure to her sisters insanity and an end to her torment. During these studies the witch had come across an effective re-aging potion and with some tinkering she was adamant that it would to transform Bellatrix to her original self, her younger self, back when she was still innocent. Bella would have all her memories and all her magical strength that she had gained through the years - which was normally not the the case with re-aging spells, and thus the reason they were never used.

However, the previous night she had been exceptionally worried as she wasn't able to be with her sister when she used the potion for the first time and the blonde witch didn't know if it would work or not, and if it didn't Bellatrix would have had to use the Polyjuice potion which was not ideal, but all her worries were put to rest when she had laid eyes upon her sister.

She was as she had always been before Azkaban: beautiful. Her long raven hair was no longer knotted and tatty, her eyes shone again with a deep brown instead of the dull black eyes that she had gotten used to, she was no longer malnourished and to the blondes delight her teeth were no longer rotting and skewed but instead lined up and a miraculous white. All in all Bellatrix looked as beautiful as the day she had entered her sixth year at Hogwarts.

The plan had gone off without a hitch. Bellatrix had entered the school under the guise of Alexandra Black, Bellatrix's daughter. It was the perfect cover as no one could question it, it was common knowledge to the Order that Bellatrix had been pregnant during the first war and therefore no one could question Alexandra's existence as well as the fact that she looked astonishingly alike the younger Bellatrix. The plan was truthfully, quiet simple and effective, as Bellatrix was able to slip out every night and make use of the secret passages to leave the Hogwarts grounds and apparate to the manor.

"The Dark Lord will be pleased with your progress, Bella" Narcissa cooed as she cuddled closer to Bellatrix.


	4. Chapter 4

***Revised***

**Chapter**** 4**

"Good afternoon class," Professor McGonagall's voice rang through the classroom, silencing the excited students.

"Today we are going to learn a little about wand lore, as we are up to date for this semester with regards to Transfiguration. I have given Mr Ollivander permission to make use of my lessons for the rest of the day. I expect all of you to be on your best behaviour." As she spoke, her eyes seemed to drift over the Syltherin's and rest on the Golden trio and Alex. The trio had simply expanded to include the raven haired witch, and despite what McGonagall had thought would be a calming influence, Alex had simply seemed to join in on the shenanigans that the trio constantly seemed to find themselves in.

"Right everyone please pair up," Mr Ollivander's voice sounded a lot more fragile than it used to be; he was a very old man, who had worked all his life and although his enthusiasm and passion seemed to drown out his age, it seemed to be showing more and more each day. No one was sure how old he really was, but his wands were legendary. Not very many people studied wand lore and even fewer were capable wand makers. Ollivander was one of the four left in the modern wizarding society and as such it was left up them to apprentice new wand makers to carry on the selling of wands in their respective stores.

"I would like you all to examine your wands if you please, taking note of the wood as well as its core."

Naturally Hermione had drifted closer to Alex as she examined her wand. It wasn't the prettiest to look at being of simple vine wood; however, what was remarkable about her wand, was that it had a dragon heartstring core, which normally needed a far stronger wood to contain it. The brunette could feel the power behind her wand; it always sent magic coursing through her veins whenever she held it.

"Very good, now I would like you to perform a simple spell - anything that comes to mind will do. Whilst casting, I would like you to take note of your different magical signatures and the way your wand feels when you cast."

As students started to perform their spells, Hermione felt the heat that emanated from her wand as she had that first day in Ollivander's shop. It felt as if the vines were wrapping themselves around her hand, anticipating the words she was about to utter and releasing the pent up pressure the minute her hand followed through with her well-rehearsed swish and flick.

"Yes, very good, very good," Ollivander's raspy voices uttered, as he repositioned himself in front of the class holding up his own wand.

"Wands have always had a curious nature, and even those studying wand lore have only the vaguest understanding of the magic that takes place within the wand and between the wand and its owner. All that is certain is that the wand chooses the wizard or witch and another's wand will never feel right in your hand - unless of course you have won it in combat and proven that you are worthy to possess it. Now I would like you to switch wands with your partner and examine their wand before trying to perform the same spell as before."

"Here," Alex whispered into Hermione's ear. "Just be careful with it please - it's my mothers."

As Hermione reached across to take Alex's wand and trade it for her own, her fingers brushed over the raven haired girls with a reassuring smile. She had truthfully never examined her new friends' wand before as she once had with Harry and Ron's. But now, as she palmed Alex's walnut wand she felt the same energy as she did with her own, course through her finger tips and pool within the wand she now held. She couldn't believe that this wand – that felt so comfortable and familiar in her hand - had caused so much pain in the past. The biggest mystery in Hermione's mind at that moment however, was why the infamous Death Eater would gift the daughter she had abandoned, her wand; it was simply unheard of. She would have to question Alex later.

So as not to get distracted any further from the task at hand, the Golden Girl continued her examination of Alex's wand. To her utter surprise and delight she found that she shared the same core as the other Gryffindor. This was surprising due to the fact that dragon heartstring was relatively uncommon, as it needed to be harvested straight after the dragon's death.

The brunette had become so absorbed in the intense beauty of the object she held, that she had barely registered the number of explosions and profanities that everyone else was muttering, as they failed to cast even the simplest of spells with another's wand. It wasn't until Alex nudged her, that she finally looked up.

"You want to do it together? That way when we set the desk alight we'll both be prepared." Hermione loved the way she laughed out the last sentence - she made vandalising school property sound like so much fun.

"Alright then, on the count of three…"

"One."

"Two."

"Three!"

With unpractised synchronization, the two young witches cast.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

What happened next was inexplicable; their wands hummed with the power flowing through them, as every desk seemed to levitate and instead of a simple misfire, both witches felt the same power and control with each other's wands as they would normally feel with their own.

Instead of the rumbling noise that had been present throughout the class, everyone fell into a stunned silence and it wasn't until Professor McGonagall cleared her throat that the class snapped out of their daze.

"Alright class is dismissed; I expect a foot long essay on my desk by tomorrow, on the basic principles of wand lore and what is and isn't known about these conduits of power. Miss Granger and Miss Black, a word if you please."

As the class filed out, Professor McGonagall and Mr Ollivander gestured for the girls to have a seat. Harry and Ron kept throwing looks over their shoulders at the girls who simply shrugged and waited for the adults to explain why they had been called to remain.

Once all the students had left, McGonagall leant forward and waited until both students had met her eye before turning to the wand maker. "Mr Ollivander I trust you can explain this series of unusual events."

"Hmm yes, it is very curious," the old wizard murmured, as he got lost in thought. "Have either of you ever heard of the legends of the dragon that once terrorised the north of Ireland?"

Out of reflex Hermione's hand shot up at the question presented by the old wand maker.

"Yes sir. The dragon was believed to be the first two headed dragon in existence. Some say it had a raging and temperamental kind of personality, while others believe it to be peaceful. There are however those who believe it was both - two personalities trapped within the same body."

"Correct Ms Granger. She was in fact a rare Hungarian Horntail, one of the ancients, a descendent of the first dragons. She was believed to be peaceful, gracious and fiercely loyal. Her temper, however, was supposedly terrible to behold and greatly feared. Two personalities, equally balanced, making her a great defender within the wizarding world. Once her time had come, I was commissioned to make a wand from her heartstring. However, when her heart was extracted, they found not one, but two strings within the dragon; two destinies, two cores. As you both well know, a core must immediately be inserted once removed, or its magic will fade and will be unable to fuse with a wand."

The brunette could no longer contain herself and burst out, "But sir, a wand made from her heartstring was never recorded. I wrote a paper last year regarding her legends."

"Yes Ms Granger, it was never recorded, because what happened was far too dangerous to ever disclose. Greed is a terrible thing - greed for power is even more so. I had intended to use the walnut tree that stood in the field where the dragon had fallen; its combined properties would create a wand like no other. The process was fairly simple; however, what followed was not. A very curious thing that dragon's heart was; not only did she contain two heartstrings, but the magic contained within them, was vastly different as well. It is unheard of and near impossible for two cores to be made from the same source. It has of course happened on occasion – such as with your friend, Mr Potter's, wand - but never with a dragon heartstring. The one heartstring, took to the walnut tree without cause for concern or problem. The other wand however, refused. This heartstring took instead to a small vine that had wrapped itself around the walnut tree. This of course, as I have told you before Miss Granger, was indeed incredible, as vine would not normally be strong enough to hold the magic from a core such as this. Thus, yours is the only in existence. I remember every wand I've ever made and sold, Ms Granger, and yours possesses a great power, that isn't seen at first. Yours Ms Black, on the other hand, holds great fury and power, yet its loyalty will always be equally as fierce. The wands were always destined to find each other and I am not sure how they will react now that they have. One thing can be certain however, a bond has formed and they will be unwilling to part. All I can say is that power of an unknown magnitude will come from this bond."

* * *

~PAGE BREAK~

Once back in the common room, the two young witches flopped down onto the couch closest to the fire. Alex was, as always, sprawled out and she'd taken to resting her head on Hermione's lap, as the Golden Girl aimlessly ran her fingers through raven coloured and tattered locks.

Their routine had come to suit both girls, as it relaxed them after a hard day of studies. Tonight would be anything but calming however, as Ginny's voice sounded through the room, "Guys they're back!"

And just like that, their peaceful bubble of comfort was broken by the sound of Harry and Ron sprinting down the stairs.

"Hermione, where have you been? There's been talk all over school and when you weren't at dinner, we started to worry that they were true! What happened to you two?" Ron as always fumbled over his words, trying to get them out as fast as possible.

So the girls retold the story of their wands to their little group, answering as many questions as they could, before they were positively exhausted. The brunette was considering placing a silencing charm on all three of them, but thankfully Alex rescued her.

"Look guys I hate to interrupt you but you're bombarding us past the point of no return and actually Hermione and I were hoping to get a walk in before curfew, so we'll catch up with you later ok?" And with that the raven haired witch had pulled the Golden Girl out of the room before anyone could protest.

* * *

~PAGE BREAK~

As they made their way down to the lake, Alex started speaking freely which she hadn't done all day.

"I'm sorry about that Mione I just couldn't take it anymore! I know they're your friends, but they can be so annoying sometimes! I don't know how they expect us to answer their questions when we're not even sure what's going on ourselves you know?"

"Yeah don't worry I understand. I was half way to hexing them before you saved me."

Hermione couldn't help but notice how much more relaxed she felt when it was just her and Alex. Everything seemed so simple when they were able to escape.

Alex laughed at the way Hermione had said that with such conviction in her voice, that she was almost certain that the brunette would have gone through with her threats.

As they reached the black lake, Alex conjured up a blanket for them to sit and relax on, while hiding within their secret spot.

"I know we missed supper, but I'm not all that hungry, so I thought we could just sit her for a while." As she spoke, Alex placed a heating charm around them to keep away the cold nights air.

Even though they were comfortably warm, Alex felt the brunette witch cuddle up closer to her as if in desperate need for more warmth. Instinctively, the dark witch wrapped her arm around Hermione, much to the girls pleasure if her happy sighs where anything to go by.

They sat in comfortable silence for a long while, until the sun had set fully and the moon had risen high into the dark night. They knew it was past curfew, but neither of them cared, for the first time in a long while they were content.

Alex was the first time to break the silence.

"It's getting late Mione, maybe we should head back." Her breath sent shivers through the brunette's body as her lips had been practically against her ear.

"And look you're getting cold." The raven haired girl had misread her shivers and goose bumps as a sign that she was cold, and not for the sign of pleasure that they really were.

Without thinking Hermione turned to face her new companion. She looked even more beautiful in the dark shadows and pale moonlight; the darkness that had fallen seemed to welcome and calm her, in a way it never could for the brunette. The effect was captivating.

With one last deep breath, Hermione leaned in and pressed her lips to Alex's. They were soft and welcoming as if the raven haired girl had been waiting all night for her. The playful twinkle in her eyes may have also given away the fact that she had wanted the brunette to take that final leap between friendship and something more. Their lips never parted as Alex's fingers intertwined around brunette curls and Hermione's hand never left her new lovers cheek, keeping them perfectly locked together in a soft kiss that turned passionate within seconds. Only once air became a necessity did their lips part. Their hands held each other close and their heads rested together in perfect comfort.

Their kiss may have been long overdue and somewhat awkward as first kisses go, but neither would complain that it hadn't been perfect.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**** I'm so sorry that I've taken so long to update, however, before you start hating me i'd like you to know that chapters 1-4 have been edited and updated so that there is more detail and so that it is easier to read, curtsy of my grammar Nazi. So please re-read the chapters if you haven't already and R&R.**

**Chapter 5**

The floors of the normally pristine manor had the house elves in a state of utter frenzy – Narcissa's constant pacing seemed to be wearing the floor thin and it was all the house elves could do to keep them polished. Narcissa's pacing (and the accompanying muttering) had everything to do with the fact that Bellatrix hadn't been home in almost two weeks. The blonde witch understood it was impractical for her dark haired sister to return home to the manor in the evenings, thus her reports on the mission had become a monthly occurrence, instead of a daily one. This did not mean however that Narcissa was happy with the arrangement.

The blonde witch could fully understand that Bellatrix's limited disappearances from Hogwarts were for her own safety. However, she could not agree with or understand the Dark Lords command that she, Narcissa, was no longer to be involved in any aspect of the mission. In fact, it was Lord Voldemort alone who dealt with Bellatrix as she made her reports these days and Narcissa could not help but feel that she was missing something important about this particular mission. There had to be something different about it (apart from the obvious) that even Bellatrix refused to share with her.

It was due to this lack of information that Narcissa had spent the last few weeks trying to work out what it was that had changed within the mission, within her sister. For one, Bellatrix no longer cursed or threw tantrums when she needed to return to Hogwarts. For another, she seemed to have grown fond of her so called group of friends – who were in fact the enemy. She had grown especially fond of the mudblood, Narcissa had realized, as if Bellatrix had forgotten the fact that she was inferior to the dark witch. In fact, the dark witch thrived on her presence, and thrived on the competition the young mudblood's intelligence seemed to bring out in her. Narcissa could see the young witch Bellatrix had been before Azkaban returning into the eyes of her sister, and at first she was worried that her potion had gone wrong and that Bellatrix's memory was starting to deteriorate. But, the more she questioned her sister about her behavior, and the more time she spent with her, the more she realized that this was not the case. Something else was happening to Bellatrix.

* * *

~PAGE BREAK~

Alex and Hermione had been caught up in what looked like another lengthy debate about the practical and ethical uses of dragon's blood in certain potions and cures. It seemed all they ever did was argue during their alone time. Ginny didn't even know why she bothered sitting with them in the evenings when they did their assignments. Of course, on the odd occasion when they weren't arguing, they said helpful things with which she could finish an essay or two, but even recently even in their down time she couldn't get a word in that wasn't academically related.

It was as if Alex had been treated the same way Hermione had for the last 6 years: underappreciated and tuned out when she spoke about anything school or academics related, and now they were making up for lost time.

It was sweet, in an utterly nerdy way, how they acted around one another.

It had always been just her and Hermione, so having a third girl in the group was kind of refreshing for Ginny, because for once, the red head had someone to talk to about the things that Hermione could just never understand. Like sports. There was no deeper thinking involved in Quidditch and barely any planning involved, and the brunette could just not wrap her head around the idea that someone could just know what to do without thinking about it beforehand.

It had taken Ginny all of two minutes in a one on one conversation with Alex, for her to steer the conversation towards Quidditch and find out that Alex had the same passion for the game as she had. It also turned out that Alex was signing up for the team and taking part in the try-outs the following week. This information seemed to come as a shock to Hermione who had assumed that Alex had the same derisive attitude towards Quidditch that she did. The red head, however, was thrilled.

Since Harry had become captain that year, none of the old team members were guaranteed a spot on the team. This meant that Alex had a really good chance of getting a spot, if she could prove that she was good enough that was.

The revelation that Alex played Quidditch and would be trying out alongside Ginny, lead to a conversation between the two Gryffindor's about class schedules, so that they could find a time somewhere between classes for them to practice before try-outs.

Hermione just stood by and smirked at the two witches. She would of course roll her eyes at the mention of Quidditch – having heard nothing but, since becoming friends with Harry and Ron in first year – but seeing her best friend getting along with her girlfriend was leaving Hermione feeling better than she had in a long time.

In the two weeks since Alex and Hermione had first kissed, the two had become even more inseparable than before. It had taken Ginny exactly two days to corner the pair to find out what the extra whispering and long walks were about.

It hadn't bothered Hermione as much as she thought it would have, having Ginny know about them. They hadn't exactly been subtle with their sneaking around, so ginny being suspicious of them was understandable. To the general public, Hermione would happily admit to the fact that she and Alex were a couple and simply ignored the whispers that went along with this knowledge. For the first time in forever, Hermione felt that she had possession of something that was all hers – not the groups, or the Orders, just hers – and she was reluctant to share with anyone.

When asked, Alex had simply smirked and commented that Ginny was probably just jealous that she had gotten Hermione first. There was no going back after that.

They were out.

Within their circle of friends they refused to hide their affection for one another – it was just to the general public that they behaved in such a way so as not to confirm any of the rumours that had sprung up surrounding the wand incident with Mr. Ollivander.

Harry took the news of Hermione and Alex's relationship better than Hermione thought he would. In between blushing and stammering, he told Hermione how happy he was and that as long as she was happy, he would be too. Neville's response was much the same – simply with a much brighter shade of blushing and a whole lot more stammering – while Luna responded in her usually direct manner, quoting articles and statistics she had read in the Quibbler, about Hermione's foray into same-sex relationships being completely normal for witches their age. Thankfully, or perhaps not so thankfully, she was cut off by Ron.

Ron had completely lost it. Since he had been pining after the brunette from their second year, he had somehow got it into his head that he some claim upon the her. Hermione had nearly taken his head off when he began ranting about how she was his and Alex had stolen her – like she was some prize to be owned.

Alex managed to bring the brunette back to a seething fury rather than an explosive one by reminding her that she would only regret her actions later if she harmed the red head. Her fury was once again bubbling however when Ron, stupidly read Hermione's silence as acquiescence to what he had been saying. Suddenly, he turned on Alex and started shouting about how she was the enemy and was simply using Hermione and that if no one else could see it then he would have to save her all by himself.

With one quick movement the red head had sent a hex towards Alex. The raven haired witch had had her wand out and the counter curse on her lips before he had finished uttering his curse, however. Ginny and Harry beat her to the punch by sending jinxes his way, swiftly followed by Hermione disarming him.

This, however, was enough of a betrayal for Ron to storm out of the room and slam the door to the boys' dormitory.

Not even Harry had spoken to his best friend since then and Ron had taken to sitting with Seamus and had been spreading rumours about Alex to whoever would listen to his rabble. Hermione's group of friends paid not even the slightest attention to the jealous redhead because, for the first time, in a long time, Hermione was truly happy again. And that was all thanks to the raven haired witch who was now constantly at her side.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The wind was howling and the clouds were threatening to burst their seams at any second.

Any normal, sane person would have retreated indoors by that point, yet here she sat; Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age was sitting waiting for the inevitable downpour, just so that she could watch the Gryffindor Quidditch try-outs of all things.

She had refused all week, remaining adamant that she was not about to waste precious study time watching the try-outs this year, not even letting Ginny or Harry's pouts break her resolve as they had tried their best to bribe and persuade her anyway they could. However, Hermione's stubbornness won out in the end, as they appeared to have backed off completely.

The brunette, however, had underestimated her friends' ruthlessness as their Trojan horse was just waiting to catch her off guard. It had only taken one look at Alex's puppy dog eyes to realise that she was fighting a losing battle.

So there she was, surveying the field of prospective players and waiting for Alex to arrive.

After only three weeks of attending Hogwarts the raven haired witch had already made a notorious reputation for herself - one of always being exceptionally late.

Even Ginny was already there, (although that was probably more Harry's doing, as he was trying to have her elected as co-captain) but still, Ginny Weasley was one of the tardiest people Hermione knew and she had still arrived earlier than Alex had.

The brunette continued to survey the field when, wondering if maybe she had just missed the raven haired witch, her eyes rested on a pair that were staring back at her intently. Ron Weasley was standing in the middle of the field in what looked like Quidditch gear.

"He's going for keeper too you know." Alex had wandered into the stands from the changing room in search of Hermione, hoping to leave her bag with the brunette. Hermione, however, had barely registered her appearance at all until she had spoken up.

When the Hermione finally looked up at the raven haired witch, she was surprised to find that Alex was wearing similar gear to Ron, albeit in better condition. Her black arm and knee pads seemed to disappear into her usual black robes and her helmet barely contained her wild curls. She looked stunning, like a born warrior, ready to take on an army, not a sixth year student ready to take on Ron Weasley at Quidditch.

"Don't worry" she said with her usual smirk, "I won't kick his ass too badly."

_Damn her arrogance_, the brunette smiled to herself. But then again, Hermione could agree that Alex had every right to be. She had allowed Ginny and the Alex to drag her down to the Quidditch pitch, the previous Thursday after class, for their first practice session before trials.

Hermione had been impressed to say the least; Alex was incredibly fast and accurate, and apparently she wasn't the only one who thought so. The evening after the practice session, when they had arrived back in the Gryffindor common room, Ginny hadn't stopped gushing over Alex. How incredibly fast she was, how the scouts were practically going to hand her a membership for any team she wanted to play for and all over Alex's broomstick. The way she carried on about it, one would have thought that the thing was carved from pure gold by the goblins. Seeing it now up close however, Hermione had to admit that it was indeed quite the impressive piece.

It was a custom made Firebolt with a sleek black coat and red phoenix feathers woven in between the brooms bristles. The feathers were charmed to take on any colour the rider chose and made the broom more aerodynamic.

All in all, Alex looked fierce.

Alex continued to smirk as the brunette looked her up and down with an appreciative smile on her normally innocent features. Only when she glanced back up to Alex's face did she notice that the raven haired girl was staring at her too, and she had the decency to avert her eyes and try to hide her smug grin at the idea that this wildly beautiful witch was hers.

"Thanks for coming to watch Mione."

And just like that, Alex's smug persona turned soft as she bent down to take her girlfriends hands. "I know you hate Quidditch, but I'm a lot less nervous with you around."

Hermione didn't quite know how to respond to that, so instead she pulled Alex into a hug instead. She was rather happy for the extra warmth and shivered a little as Alex pulled away.

The raven haired witch regarded her for a moment before casting a heating charm that would also keep her dry if it started to rain. With that Alex turned to make her way down towards the field. She was half-way down the stands when she turned around and shouted, "Honestly Mione, I think you forget you're a witch sometimes."

The brunette just laughed at the statement. It was true that she was so used to living her life without magic, that when it came to mundane tasks or problems, she would solve it as she had always had done – the muggle way.

If there was bad weather she'd bring an umbrella or a raincoat, casting a simple heating charm never even crossed her mind. That's where her and Alex seemed to differ: she seemed to be just as intelligent as Hermione, but, her intelligence was based on the practical uses of magic and making difficult tasks simple, whereas Hermione's was based more on the combination of both muggle and magical solutions. _It's probably what happens when you grow up in two different worlds,_ the young witch thought.

Alex spent Harry's entire speech smiling up at the brunette witch in the stands, ignoring the very obvious glares Ron was shooting at her from across the field.

Harry had split the group of Gryffindor's up into two teams, with the extra players rotating positions with those that remained on the ground while the game was in progress.

As the groups took to the sky and the game began, Hermione noticed how the stands started to fill. With Harry and Ginny playing as seekers, and Alex and Ron as Keepers, the game became very intense very quickly. Even the hopeful beaters were trying to show off and to prove themselves by taking as many cheap shots as they could at anyone within range, as the rest of those on the field scrambled to score.

Ron wasn't actually half bad, but he was nothing compared to Alex. She never missed a beat and slowly but surely, whatever confidence Ron had started with began to fade, as he realised he was being out-played by the raven-haired witch and her Firebolt. He had taken to ordering the players on his team around, blaming them for the 50-0 lead the other team had on them. It wasn't until he grabbed one of the beaters bats and hit a nasty bludger straight towards Alex, that things started to get out of hand.

The raven haired witch had been caught off guard, but was able to dive down out of the way of the bludger just in time. Ron, however, was not as lucky, as the bludger came boomeranging back straight towards him, hit by one of the young beaters on Alex's team. He was hit hard in the head and with that, passed out and slid from his broomstick. It seemed almost as if it was happening in slow motion, as everyone froze, and it wasn't until Hermione screamed that Alex seemed to snap back into reality.

She raced towards the red head at full speed, managing to catch him three feet from the ground. As she wrapped her arms around his waist, she lost control of her broom and both of them hurtled head first into the Quidditch pitch. The raven haired witch had timed the capture of the heavy boy perfectly, but not their messy landing. Luckily for them, the soft grass had broken most of their fall and Alex had saved Ron from what would been straight drop that would have broken at least a few bones.

It was two unconscious keepers that Hermione found lying in a tangle of limbs on the Quidditch pitch.

* * *

~PAGE BREAK~

Hermione's voice drifted through the darkness, coaxing Alex back into reality. As Alex strained to open her eyes she heard the brunette calling to Madam Pomfrey.

"I think she's starting to wake up!"

As Alex began to open her eyes, Hermione's warm, soft hands were replaced with the harder, more skilled hands of Madam Pomfrey. She began by checking her pulse and breathing, just to make sure that she was recovering correctly and that she wasn't experiencing any more problems as a result of the fall. Once her checks were done, Madam Pomfrey spoke to Hermione about Alex's recovery and what she would and wouldn't be allowed to do, before she left the couple alone again.

Hermione's hand found Alex's once more, tracing delicate, meaningless patterns on the palm of her hand as the raven haired girl began to squint against the harsh light, after being trapped in a seemingly endless darkness.

Alex had been unconscious for two very long days. The fall itself wouldn't have been too bad, but the fact that she had taken the brunt of the impact by having Ron land on top of her, had been what had caused the damage. Seeing Alex lying motionless in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, had scared Hermione half to death.

Ron had kept up an endless stream of apologies to Hermione but she had refused to listen. The first time he had tried to come and see Alex in the hospital wing, had led Hermione to chase him out with hexes and jinxes. It was only Madam Pomfrey threatening to ban Hermione too that had kept her from behaving as badly the next time Ron came – accompanied by a stony faced Harry and Ginny.

"we have both spoken to Ron and he has something to say," Harry informed the fuming brunette, sending a dirty look towards the wary looking red head.

"I really am sorry Hermione. I was a right git for everything I said and did and if I could I would take it all back. You have every right to want to hex me and whatever else you have going on in that head of yours. But I am truly sorry for hurting you and Alex. I was just shocked. Yeah. Thats it." He had the grace to blush as bright a red as his hair.

"You really are a prat," she told him with a cold look. But she didn't chase him out again.

It was Rons fault that Alex was injured and in the hospital wing and Hermione was not allowed to let him forget it. He had treated her like a piece of property and Alex like an obstacle that he had to get rid of no matter what. Hermione wasn't about to let him get away with his dangerous and jealous behaviour, as well as his of them, but she couldn't hate him forever.

Hermione pulled herself back to the present where Alex had finally managed to open her sleepy dark eyes and was looking at her with a slightly confused expression on her pale face.

"Welcome back." Hermione murmured as Alex's eyes met her own, leaning forward to place a chaste kiss on Alex's cheek.

Once the raven haired witch had finally gained consciousness, Hermione helped her sit up slowly so that she could take in her surroundings. Alex hated being in the hospital wing - it always made her feel worse than she would have if she was in her own bed.

"How long have I been out?" she asked the brunette, lying down again just as slowly.

When Hermione didn't reply immediately, Alex glanced at her properly and noticed for the first time the state her girlfriend seemed to be in: her hair was in a messy bun that had strands falling out from sleeping in awkward positions, her shirt was wrinkled and no longer tucked in to her skirt and she had removed her tie. The dark rings around her bloodshot eyes were the final clue to just how little she had slept in the time that Alex had been unconscious.

"Hermione, you look terrible." The words had slipped from her mouth before she could filter them.

This got the brunettes attention and she finally looked up at Alex and gave her a dirty look.

"Well not all of us got to sleep for the last two days," she deadpanned. A small smile was playing across her lips which belied the fact that she had been worrying herself sick over Alex in the time the raven haired witch was unconscious. Alex would have put money on the bet that this was the first time Hermione had been able to smile over the last two days.

The raven haired witch gently pulled the brunette up onto the hospital bed, until she was securely in her arms. Hermione nestled into Alex's chest sighing contentedly, finally able to relax.

Hermione had spent the last two days in the hospital wing only leaving to go to classes. Everything else she had deemed unimportant, not wanting to miss the moment when Alex would finally wake up.

Alex's ran her fingers up and down the brunette arm as Hermione explained that while she had sustained no lasting damage, the fact that Ron had landed on her and that she had hit the ground nearly head first, meant that she had some severe swelling of the brain and there had been some internal bleeding in her abdomen. It had taken all afternoon for Madam Pomfrey to stop the bleeding and bring down the swelling. It was only by forcing her into a magically induced coma that Alex's breathing had stabilized. Madam Pomfrey had lifted the spell earlier that morning but it had taken all day for Alex to actually wake up.

Before leaving them alone, Madam Pomfrey had instructed Hermione on Alex's medication and given her strict orders that she was to remain on bed rest for at least the remainder of the week, in order for her to heal correctly.

When the brunette had mentioned the bed rest, Alex pulled her in closer, flashing the exhausted girl one of her prize winning smirks, before leaning in and giving her a searing kiss that deepened quickly. After she felt the brunette smile against her lips, she decided that she definitely liked the sound of bed rest.


End file.
